Joe Henry (baseball)
Encyclopedia
"Prince" Joe Henry was an American baseball
player. He played for several Negro League teams in the 1950s.
, where he played softball
as a youngster. He was discovered by catcher Josh Johnson, who encouraged him to try baseball. Goose Curry scouted him to play in the Negro Leagues, starting him off in a Mississippi
baseball school. He played for three years with the Memphis Red Sox
, then signed a minor league
contract, playing in 1952 in the Mississippi Ohio Valley League for Canton and in 1953 for Mount Vernon. During these years he sustained injuries that prevented him from playing further in the minors. He returned to the Negro Leagues in 1955-56 with the Indianapolis Clowns
, but did not play for most of 1957 until he was convinced to return and play with the Detroit Stars
. In 1958 he was selected as an All-Star
for the East-West All Star Game. His last year in the Negro Leagues was 1959.
Late in his life, Henry fought a long battle with Major League Baseball
to secure pension
benefits that the league promised Negro League players in the 1990s. In the 2000s, Henry began authoring a newspaper column for the St. Louis, Missouri
, Riverfront Times
(with the help of his grandson, Sean R. Muhammad) called "Ask a Negro Leaguer". He died January 2, 2009 after a sustained illness.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He played for several Negro League teams in the 1950s.
Biography
Henry was born and raised in Brooklyn, IllinoisBrooklyn, Illinois
Brooklyn , is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. Located just 2 miles north of East St. Louis, Illinois and 3 miles northeast of Downtown St. Louis, Missouri, it is the oldest town incorporated by African Americans in the United States...
, where he played softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
as a youngster. He was discovered by catcher Josh Johnson, who encouraged him to try baseball. Goose Curry scouted him to play in the Negro Leagues, starting him off in a Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
baseball school. He played for three years with the Memphis Red Sox
Memphis Red Sox
The Memphis Red Sox were a professional Negro League baseball team based in Memphis, Tennessee from the 1920s until the end of segregated baseball....
, then signed a minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
contract, playing in 1952 in the Mississippi Ohio Valley League for Canton and in 1953 for Mount Vernon. During these years he sustained injuries that prevented him from playing further in the minors. He returned to the Negro Leagues in 1955-56 with the Indianapolis Clowns
Indianapolis Clowns
The Indianapolis Clowns were a professional baseball team in the Negro American League.- Founding :They began operation in Cincinnati in , and operated between Cincinnati and Indianapolis in 1944 and 1945 before officially moving in...
, but did not play for most of 1957 until he was convinced to return and play with the Detroit Stars
Detroit Stars
The Detroit Stars were a United States baseball team in the Negro leagues and played at historic Mack Park.- Founding :Founded in 1919 by Tenny Blount with the help of Rube Foster, owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants, the Detroit Stars immediately established themselves as one of the...
. In 1958 he was selected as an All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
for the East-West All Star Game. His last year in the Negro Leagues was 1959.
Late in his life, Henry fought a long battle with Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
to secure pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
benefits that the league promised Negro League players in the 1990s. In the 2000s, Henry began authoring a newspaper column for the St. Louis, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Riverfront Times
Riverfront Times
The Riverfront Times is a weekly newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri that consists of local politics, music, arts and dining news in the print edition and daily updates to blogs and photo galleries on its website...
(with the help of his grandson, Sean R. Muhammad) called "Ask a Negro Leaguer". He died January 2, 2009 after a sustained illness.